Saturday, February 4, 2012

almond blossom ~ 02/04/12 ~ Cooper Molera Garden

Rosaceae

Given my total confusion about early blooming blossoms (is it a cherry, or plum, or cherry plum?), I had no difficulty identifying this particular blossom tree. Why? Because there was a handy-dandy ID sign at the Cooper Molera Garden, which is filled with various fruit trees restored or representative of the 1860s. Really, I should be able to recognize this tree anyways, since I spent many CA winters playing underneath 2 almond trees that my dad planted next to my swing set. I used to pretend the white fallen petals were snow. Aw, fond memories!

I liked harvesting almonds with their split fuzzy hull and especially liked eating them. So, it came as a bit of surprise that I haven't liked almonds purchased at the store for a while, and I couldn't figure out why. Then, a friend recently gave me almonds from his dad's farm. They taste fresh like how I remember from when I was a kid. He said they're unpasteurized. As I was researching this post, I learned that there's now a mandatory pasteurization program for CA almonds shipped in North America. Who knew? Like with fresh apple cider, I do think some foods do taste better unpasteurized.

9 comments:

Cindy said...

When I shell walnuts I harvested, I put them in the freezer for at least a few days to kill off any unseen critters. I also store them in there when I have room because it keeps the oil in the walnut fresher. I can definitely tell the difference now when I eat walnuts from a market. My walnuts have a stronger, cleaner and kinda green, grassy taste even if they were harvested 6 months ago, but the ones from the market are flatter tasting. Now I really want to taste fresh almonds (AHH-menz) because I love almonds and if they taste better fresh, wow! I used to call all the beautiful white spring flowering trees "cherries", but my Central Valley -born friend told me I was mixing up the almonds, plums, cherries, apricots and other stone fruits and I should look closer at the bark. But on old trees like those you might see in an historic garden, the bark is so old and may be moss covered, it would be hard. Yeah for signs!

Arro said...

Katie, I truly believe you would enjoy the blossoms that spring up around where I live this time of year. Almond blossoms, of course! I live nearby a city that was once known as the "almond capital of the world" and they still hold the annual almond blossom festival at the end of February each oncoming spring. The festival isn't much to look at, but the almond blossoms that let their petals fly are a fantastic display. It really will look like a mock-snow storm around here in just a few more weeks.

Jeannette said...

They harvest quite a bit from those various trees in that garden...lovely photos of the blooms and thanks for sharing your memories, they were sweet to hear.

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

I can just envision a buzzillion buzzing bees around the almond blossoms at the moment. Our own Aprium tree is blooming already, and I'm sure it's early, but it has been a strange winter. I had no idea that almonds are pasteurized these days, although I don't know why I'm surprised, but pasteurizing nuts does seem a little odd to me!

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Cindy, some farmers' markets offer unpasteurized almonds, but you have to ask each vendor specifically in order to get any information from them. They don't seem to advertise that fact, probably b/c they don't want to get sued if anyone gets sick. There's apparently a couple loopholes around the "mandatory" pasteurization program. I think the ones covered in various flavorings are pasteurized. Tasting flat (and a bit dry) is a good descriptor of store bought nuts. The ones I got from my friend were from this past October's harvest - truly fresh. We should do a nut exchange, since he gave me 10 lbs! My dad also had plum, peach, and apricot trees, but I haven't gotten that far as to the timing of their blooms. Bark, smark. So many fruit/nut trees are grafted that I think it'd be difficult to tell.

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Arro, I'm still trying to figure out where you are in CA. Chico? Yep, when the petals fly, it's absolutely gorgeous.

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Jeannette, do you know what they do with the fruit and veggies from the various historic parks? There are prominent signs stating not to pick any fruit. As a kid, I hated living out in the country away from my friends, especially during the long summer break months; but now as an adult, I've come to realize growing up on a family farm was special and not very common.

Katie (Nature ID) said...

Clare, I expect a blossom post from you soon. It's a huge business moving bees around to pollinate early blooming almonds since they're self-incompatible. All the different hybrids of Prunus keep my head spinning. I'd direct you to the Almond Board link embedded in my post above about why they need to pasteurize, but at the moment they're having server issues. Needless to say, there were a couple Salmonella outbreaks early this century.

troutbirder said...

Catching up I did a reply on your skunk cabbage question. :)